What Transportation Research Board does

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is a division of the congressionally chartered National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, founded in 1920 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. TRB mobilizes transportation expertise across all modes — highways, transit, airports, rail, freight, and behavioral traffic safety — to produce independent, evidence-based research and policy advice. It annually engages more than 5,500 engineers, scientists, and practitioners through more than 100 standing technical committees and operates the largest transportation research convening event in the world, the TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

TRB manages more than 500 active cooperative research projects through seven Cooperative Research Programs (NCHRP, TCRP, ACRP, BTSCRP, HMCRP, NCFRP, NCRRP), plus the IDEA innovation funding program and the SHRP 2 program, which produced the Naturalistic Driving Study Database. It publishes nearly 800 peer-reviewed papers annually in the Transportation Research Record (in partnership with SAGE Publishing), releases over 100 reports, syntheses, manuals, and guidebooks each year, and maintains the TRID bibliographic database containing over 1.3 million records — the largest such resource in transportation globally. Supporting technology assets include the Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS) library/thesaurus suite and the Transportation Research Thesaurus (TRT).

TRB is funded through a hybrid model combining state department of transportation pooled sponsorships for cooperative research, federal agency contracts from USDOT and its component administrations (FHWA, FTA, FRA, FMCSA), publication and database revenue through its online bookstore and subscriptions, conference and webinar registration fees, and an affiliates and sponsors program that includes Platinum-tier engineering firms such as HNTB and WSP. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization operates as a public, non-profit research entity without external investors.

Name

Transportation Research Board

Legal name

Transportation Research Board

Website

https://trb.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is a division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that coordinates transportation research across all modes for federal and state agencies, academia, and industry, managing 500+ cooperative research projects, publishing 800+ peer-reviewed papers annually, and convening 5,500+ professionals yearly through technical committees and the global TRB Annual Meeting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transportation Research Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Transportation (488), Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (926120), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation & Traffic Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAC), Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Transportation research
• Cooperative research programs
• Transportation policy studies
• Technical committees
• Transportation publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Contracts: TRB receives support from federal agencies including component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation for consensus studies, advisory services, and research programs.
2. State Department of Transportation Sponsorships: State DOTs provide program support and sponsorship for cooperative research programs including NCHRP, TCRP, and other initiatives.
3. Publication Sales: TRB generates revenue through its online bookstore selling books, reports, and subscriptions including the Transportation Research Record journal.
4. Affiliates and Sponsors Program: Organizations can become sponsors or affiliates of TRB, providing financial support in exchange for recognition and access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) operates as a research coordination and convening organization within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It manages more than 500 active cooperative research projects across highways, transit, airports, behavioral traffic safety, hazardous materials, freight, and rail, while publishing nearly 800 peer-reviewed papers annually in the Transportation Research Record and maintaining the TRID bibliographic database of over 1.3 million records. The organization also convenes more than 100 standing technical committees, hosts the Annual Meeting (the largest transportation research gathering worldwide), delivers weekly webinars, and provides independent consensus and advisory studies to inform federal transportation policy.

Product overview

TRB operates as a research coordination and dissemination organization within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The core portfolio consists of: (1) the Transportation Research Record, a peer-reviewed journal publishing nearly 800 papers annually; (2) seven Cooperative Research Programs (NCHRP, TCRP, ACRP, BTSCRP, HMCRP, NCFRP, NCRRP) managing over 500 active projects; (3) the IDEA Program funding innovative transportation research; (4) the SHRP 2 program producing the Naturalistic Driving Study Database; (5) TRIS and TRID bibliographic databases containing over 1.3 million records; (6) the annual TRB Annual Meeting and weekly webinars; and (7) consensus studies providing policy guidance. TRB also publishes TR News Magazine, Transportation Research Circulars, and Conference Proceedings. The organization connects research, practice, and policy through more than 100 standing technical committees and maintains an online bookstore for publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cooperative Research Programs Portfolio of seven cooperative research programs producing practical, applied research deliverables (manuals, guidebooks, syntheses, reports) for state DOTs and federal transportation agencies across highways, transit, airports, behavioral traffic safety, hazardous materials, freight, and rail modes.
• Transportation Research Record (TRR) One of the most cited and prolific transportation journals in the world, publishing nearly 800 peer-reviewed papers annually across all transportation modes, available through subscription or individual article purchase.
• TRB Annual Meeting Annual convening event held in Washington, D.C. that draws thousands of transportation professionals worldwide and features lectern sessions, workshops, poster sessions, an exhibit hall, and committee meetings.
• TRID/TRIS Transportation Research Database Online transportation research bibliographic database containing over 1.3 million records, available for self-serve searching and accessing transportation research literature, accessible via the TRIS resource suite.
• Consensus and Advisory Studies Independent, evidence-based advice provided to the federal government on transportation policy, contributing to federal legislation and regulation changes and supporting USDOT research program oversight.
• TRB Webinars Weekly virtual knowledge exchange sessions covering various transportation topics, available on a recurring basis throughout the year.
• Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) Program Provides start-up funding for promising but unproven innovations in surface transportation systems across Highway, High-Speed Rail, Safety, and Transit domains.
• Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP 2) A research program that developed strategic solutions to national highway safety, congestion, and infrastructure renewal challenges, producing the Naturalistic Driving Study Database among other research outputs.
• TR News Magazine Periodic TRB publication covering transportation research news, developments, and industry updates.
• Transportation Research Circulars E-Circular publications used to disseminate transportation research results and technology information to the research community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ active research projects managed at any given time
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered platinum, gold and core.

• HNTBplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerHNTB is a Platinum sponsor of the 2027 TRB Annual Meeting. As a major infrastructure engineering firm, HNTB supports TRB's annual gathering of transportation professionals.
• WSPplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerWSP is a Platinum sponsor of the 2027 TRB Annual Meeting. As a leading engineering services firm, WSP supports TRB's annual event.
• HDRgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerHDR is a Gold sponsor of the 2027 TRB Annual Meeting.
• MxV RailgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerMxV Rail is a Gold sponsor of the 2027 TRB Annual Meeting.
• U.S. Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing support for TRB's consensus studies, advisory services, and research programs. Component administrations of USDOT collaborate on transportation research initiatives.
• State Departments of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState DOTs provide essential program support and sponsorship for cooperative research programs including NCHRP, TCRP, ACRP, and other TRB initiatives. They participate actively in technical committees and benefit from research outcomes.
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAASHTO member state DOTs support TRB's IDEA programs and cooperative research initiatives. The organizations collaborate on transportation research priorities and standards.
• Federal Transit AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTA provides funding and support for TRB programs including the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) and IDEA programs.
• Federal Railroad AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFRA supports TRB's rail-related research programs including the National Cooperative Railroad Research Program (NCRRP) and IDEA programs.
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFMCSA supports TRB's IDEA programs focused on motor carrier and truck/bus safety research.
• SAGE PublishingcoreTechnology or IntegrationSAGE Publishing partners with TRB to publish the Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, one of the most cited transportation journals worldwide.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• World Road Association (PIARC): PIARC is the international road research and policy organization exchanging knowledge across national road administrations globally, directly comparable to TRB's mission at an international level with overlapping committee structures and publication output.
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO): AASHTO is a national standards-setting and policy organization for state DOTs, directly partnered with TRB on cooperative research. Both organizations serve overlapping state transportation constituencies and collaborate on research priorities, making AASHTO the closest peer in mission and membership.
• Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America): ITS America convenes public and private stakeholders on intelligent transportation systems, operating Annual Meeting, committees, and policy advocacy—directly comparable to TRB's convening function but specialized on technology-driven transportation innovation.
• Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE): ITE is an international professional association for transportation engineers that publishes peer-reviewed research, runs committees, and produces technical guidance—directly parallel to TRB's role in convening practitioners and disseminating technical standards.

Broad incumbents

• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): ASCE is a large, established engineering professional society publishing journals (e.g., Journal of Transportation Engineering) and convening committees that overlap with TRB's transportation focus, though ASCE covers all civil engineering disciplines.
• American Public Transportation Association (APTA): APTA is the leading industry association for public transit agencies and private operators, conducting research, publishing standards, and convening members—parallel to TRB but focused on the transit mode that TRB's TCRP program supports.
• SAE International: SAE International is a long-established technical society publishing peer-reviewed mobility research and industry standards, with a comparable model of volunteer committees, journals, and standards development—though focused on automotive and aerospace rather than surface transportation policy.

Emerging players

• Eno Center for Transportation: Eno is a transportation policy think tank producing research, convening leaders, and offering professional development. It mirrors TRB's policy-advisory function but at a smaller scale and with a more focused leadership-development emphasis.
• American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI): ATRI is the trucking industry's not-for-profit research arm, conducting operational, safety, and policy research with a trucking-specific focus. It is a narrower-mode counterpart to TRB, illustrating how industry-specific research institutes sit alongside broader conveners.

Others

• Transportation Research Board Part of National Academies: Listed to flag that TRB itself operates within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine alongside the National Academy of Engineering and Health and Medicine Division, which conduct parallel consensus studies across other domains.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/embed/TioXZOcIgYc
• Xx.com/trbofna

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Transportation Research Board